The New Girl
by finder77
Summary: She didn't realize how TIGHT security was. She didn't know they'd want to bring up SECRETS she'd rather forget. Now she's trying to HIDE before they get rid of her. Only GAARA can help her. Possible GaaraXOC.


A young woman with pitch black hair walked slowly but evenly down the hallway of one of Konoha's main registration offices. Her green eyes darted from doorway to doorway, but the signs she saw weren't helpful. 

She had just arrived in Konoha that morning, alone. She had undergone a careful interrogation for a few hours before they decided she wasn't a threat to the village. It was odd, they said, for someone her age to be traveling unaccompanied, especially in the early hours of the morning. And they seemed to think it was even odder considering she was a girl.

"Where are you from?" one of the interrogation squad had asked. She was perhaps twenty and very healthy looking. "Do you have papers?"

"Yes," the green eyed girl answered carefully. "I'm from Earth country… the outskirts…" She pulled a folder from her bag containing information. She, of course, had gone through her old village file herself several days ago. She made sure there wasn't anything too incriminating. She needed a place to stay, or at least hide out for the time being.

The older woman took the folder and flipped through some of the papers, "Shinu Rena, age nineteen, village of Hondaiya, born in the year of the snake, no criminal charges, and… Where were you born?" the woman asked.

Shinu shrugged, "I don't remember. It was a long time ago and I've been moving forever…" She pondered for a second. "I did spend some time in the Rain village when I was a child…"

"Okay, we'll look into it," the woman said. She took out a pad and paper, scribbled a note on the first sheet, and then tore it off to give it to Shinu. "This is the room number to where you can find temporary registration forms. You might not be able to become a permanent resident of Konoha, but we'll do what we can."

"Arigatou!" the girl smiled and walked out the door. As soon as she heard it shut behind her, the smile disappeared. "Damn," she murmured, tucking her short dark hair behind her ears. _It sucks that everyone keeps tightening security._

She had a feeling it was going to be a long day of filling out forms.

Now she was looking for said registration form room. The number on the note said four-oh-five but all the numbers she saw were in the three-hundreds.

She was so lost, physically and in thought, that she didn't even see the young man with dark auburn hair round the corner. She was honestly apologetic when she bumped into him. "Oh!" her file slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor, the papers sliding out all helter-skelter. She didn't look up as she bent to collect them, but she mumbled, "God, I'm so sorry… I should've been paying more attention… Are you okay?"

"No, I should've been paying more attention." The young man bent down to help her collect the contents of her file.

Seeing him, Shinu said, "That's okay, I've got it!" perhaps a bit too loudly. She didn't mean to be rude; she just didn't want him looking at her files. She didn't even like _having_ a file.

The young man had backed off though. As Shinu stood, he looked as though he was contemplating what to say.

Shinu met his eyes, "Sorry, again," she said.

The young man blinked back with dazed turquoise. "One of the papers said you'd lived in Suna a few years ago?"

"Yeah," Shinu wished he hadn't noticed, "So?"

The young redhead wasn't sure why she was being rude. Maybe it was unintentional. "I think," he started. "I think we've met before."

Shinu raised an eyebrow. _Shit_, she thought. "Really? How so?"

"Well, I've lived in Suna all my life," the young man said. "I just think you look familiar."

"Really, well… I actually have to go and—"

The young man frowned, "Why are you being so avoidant?" he asked boldly.

The girl was surprised. She answered, "Sorry…" She bowed slightly. "Where are my manners? I am Shinu Rena, formerly of Suna, as you suggest..."

The young man bowed slightly as well, "Kazekage Gaara," he said with a repressed smirk, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

The young woman was now open-mouthed in shock. _CRAP! A Kazekage?!_ "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" She went to bow again, this time deeper.

"There's no need for that," Gaara said, watching her flinch.

Shinu stopped about mid-bow. "Are you sure?" she questioned. "I mean, you ARE the Kazekage…"

"It's okay," Gaara said. "You get sick of the bows every once in a while."

Shinu relaxed, "I guess you're right," she replied.

"So, were you off to the registration office?" the young Kazekage asked. "I was going there myself. Not to change villages though… that's what you're doing, right?"

Shinu nodded.

"I'm just here visiting friends," Gaara stated. "But since I'm Kazekage they'll probably let me in without much of a hassle."

"Um, if it's not too much trouble…"

Gaara raised a… well; it's where his eyebrow would be, if he had any.

"Can I walk with you?" Shinu finished, "I mean, not anything special. I just don't know where the office is."

Gaara nodded. "Sounds reasonable," and with that he began to walk off towards room four-oh-five.

The two walked quickly, Shinu trying to follow Gaara's long strides. It wasn't long before they rounded a final bend and ended up at the registration office.

Shinu smiled, her file tucked under her arm. She reached for the door handle, "Hey, thanks," she said pleasantly to Gaara. "For leading the way, you know."

The Kazekage nodded. "My door's the next one down, for visitor's passes."

"I see." Shinu opened the door to the main registration office, "Well I'll see you around then. It's been lovely meeting you, Kazekage Gaara-sama."

The young man waved her off and Shinu disappeared beyond the door.

_He seemed nice_, Shinu thought.


End file.
